Where They Were
by sunstarunicorn
Summary: Where were they on September 11th?  A look at our cast of characters on the day America changed forever. Oneshot for now.


Where They Were

Summary: Where were they on September 11th? A look at our cast of characters on the day America changed forever.

A/N: A bit early, I know but I just had to write this. Boomtown may be a bit off in timing but this is just how it fit together for me. Also, I confess to not looking up the time conversion…oops. Oh well.

_September 11__th__, 2001 ~ May we never forget that Freedom isn't Free_

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* * *

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_Joel_

It was just a regular academy day. He was just finishing up a five-mile run when one of the other cadets waved him over. Everyone, even the instructors, was crowded around a television.

"What's up?"

"Look."

Joel felt sick. Smoke was pouring out of the World Trade Center in New York. He was about to ask what had happened when the television replayed the scene of the plane flying into the tower. The fireball erupting out the other side set the entire group to gasping. He barely heard the reports. The Pentagon, the Trade Center. It couldn't possibly be an accident. Recruits were openly crying and as the first tower collapsed in a billowing cloud of dust and ash, Joel realized he was crying too.

* * *

_David McNorris_

"I want to get this scum. Find me that ballistics report. Got it? Good, I'll call you back in an hour." DDA McNorris sighed as he hung up the phone. It seemed as if LA was full of criminals and the new-to-town attorney felt overwhelmed.

"David." Ben Fisher, his boss, stood in the doorway to his office.

"I've got the Samuelson case ready to go, sir."

"Forget it. Everything's been canceled for today."

"Canceled?"

"In my office."

For a moment David was afraid he'd blown his chance. But as he walked into his boss' office he instantly knew this had nothing to do with him. The TV was on and smoke was pouring out of the building in the picture.

"What is this?"

"Two planes have been flown into the World Trade Center."

"What!"

"There are also reports of another plane hitting the Pentagon but nothing definite yet."

David gaped at the TV. How could this happen? Why would this happen? "Is there anything we can do?"

Ben Fisher's head lowered, a tear glimmering in his eyes. "No."

The rumble from the TV brought them both around. David stared in horror and morbid fascination as the tower fell. Stunned news reporters began rerunning the footage, disbelieving of what they were seeing. For a very long moment David was afraid, no terrified. Anger overrode the fear. Whoever had done this would pay and pay dearly.

* * *

_Fearless_

Fearless sighed. Vicki had walked away from him last night and he had let her go. There was nothing to say that hadn't already been said. Maybe he should just take that transfer to Homicide he'd been thinking about.

"Fearless!"

Fearless looked up as Robby Cole ran in. "What's up?"

"New York…it's been attacked."

Fearless followed Cole out into the bullpen. The images on the TV were horrid. _"…an apparent terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. These images are live from our news choppers."_

Fearless' hands curled into fists. He had fought in Desert Storm to stop stuff like this from happening. Freaktown had died to stop stuff like this from happening. And yet, there it was. There it was. A terrorist attack on his home, his country.

Gasps rang out as the second tower shivered, rumbled, and fell. The bright sunshine in the background felt like a slap in the face. Fearless walked out onto the roof, staring out at LA. Had it only been a few minutes ago that he'd been worrying about Vicki? It already seemed like a different world, a different life. Everything had changed and nothing was safe anymore.

* * *

_Teresa_

The ambulance siren wailed above her as she treated the injured child. Although it had taken the Jaws of Life to get the little girl out of the wrecked minivan, so far all Teresa had found was a broken leg and a whole lot of bumps and bruises.

"You'll be just fine okay?"

The little girl looked up at the paramedic. "What about the people in the building?"

"What building?"

"Mommy was driving and then the radio said 'terror is't attack in New York and Washington'. And Mommy started crying and that's when that other car hit us."

Teresa's eyes widened. "I'm sure those people are okay sweetie."

"Teresa!"

Randy's shout made Teresa jump and she moved up to the front of the ambulance. Her partner just pointed to the radio where the announcer was breathlessly reporting that one side of the Pentagon had just collapsed.

Teresa gasped. So many were dead now. So many lives lost in an instant. _Mamma, I want to promise you that for the rest of my life I'm going to do all I can to save people's lives._ How could she have thought that she could make a difference? How could one person make a difference against that kind of evil?

Randy looked angry. "They'd better watch out. No way we take this lying down."

"But what can we do?"

Her partner met her eyes. "We don't give up. Ever."

* * *

_Tom_

For once he'd gotten in before Stevens. Even if it had been because he and his dad started yelling at each other, he'd still gotten here early. Tom scowled. His dad had been on his case all week about how Stevens was beating him on the shooting range.

He cocked his head at the crowd in the rec room. Everyone, recruits and instructors, was focused on the TV. So Tom walked in to see what was up. The crying surprised him until he looked at the screen. Just in time to see the second tower fall.

"Jesus Christ," someone said in both shock and prayer. After a moment Tom realized it was him. A sudden thought made him stiffen. His Mom had been visiting an old friend in New York and was flying back in the morning. He reached for his phone but as he brought it up, he realized the screen was dark. The recruit sagged a bit. He'd forgotten to recharge the phone the night before.

"Need a phone?" Tom looked up at Joel, the other recruit already offering his own phone.

"Thanks." His dislike of Joel was completely forgotten as he dialed. "Mom?"

"Tom? I'm okay but all the planes are grounded. A few of us are going to carpool back to LA. I called your father and your sisters but you weren't answering."

Tom flushed. "Yeah, um, my phone battery died. A friend lent me his phone."

"I've got to go. Stay safe young man."

Tom looked down for a moment, then handed Joel his phone back. "Thanks Joel."

"Anytime, Tom."

* * *

_Andrea_

She'd had to fly to D.C. for a news conference. She was a few days early so she was touring the White House to pass the time. Suddenly the security guards started herding them out. Andrea was startled but she didn't realize what was wrong until they were outside. Across the Mall she could see the Pentagon. Smoke was rising in a thick black cloud and she could make out the orange flames licking at the building.

"Run!" The guards ordered.

Andrea ran with all the other press, disbelieve that this could really, truly be happening. She and a coworker ended up in a small café. The TV was on and they were running footage of the WTC and the attack and the towers coming down. She quickly dialed her boss.

"Jerry?"

"Andrea! Are you alright? We've been trying to reach you and Ben for over an hour."

"I'm fine. Ben's with me too. They're evacuating the Capital."

"Are you near a TV?"

"Yes. We're watching one right now."

"Okay. Sorry to do this to you Andrea, but you're the reporter on the ground for this one."

"Can do. I'll get back to you."

"Stay safe Andrea."

Andrea was already composing questions in her mind. Grief, terror, even anger was shoved aside for the moment. Time for her to go to work.

* * *

_Ray_

Ray rolled his eyes as he wrote yet another speeding ticket. People were in such a hurry these days. He headed back to his patrol car, wishing for a change of pace. _I need a partner._ He'd been riding solo ever since his last partner had gotten caught with his hand in the Vista Heights 'cookie jar'. He was bored. And lonely. But no one wanted to ride with 'the dirty cop'.

He pulled the patrol car out into traffic and started looking around for his next target of the day. Ah, what the heck. It was nine o'clock, perfect time for a break. He pulled into Farley's and strolled in. Only to find out that everything had been turned on its ear and America was under attack.

He was just as riveted to the TV as everyone else in the bar. As the reporters scrambled to make sense of just what they were seeing, he shook his head in dismay. But all too soon it was time for him to head out.

* * *

"Cherie?" Ray called as he spied her on the couch, crying.

Cherie jumped up and literally ran into his arms. He held her tight and waited. "There was a flight, another one, headed to D.C. They think the passengers tried to stop the terrorists."

"It crashed?" Ray had to ask. He hadn't been able to see a TV since leaving Farley's.

Cherie nodded into Ray's shirt, crying again.

"Any other word?" A shake of the head this time.

Ray nodded and lifted Cherie up. Anything more could wait; would wait. The world might be a dangerous place; much more dangerous now than it had been that morning. But for tonight, America could mourn her lost. Remember her heroes. Ray settled down on the couch, reached over, and flicked off the light.

* * *

A/N: Constructive criticism is, as always, appreciated. Any flames will be used for my home fireplace. I believe I stayed true to the characters. Any errors are of course my own. Thanks for reading and please review.


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